Attaching means for closures



1944- I H. IR. HUSTAD 2,355,377

ATTACHING MEANS FOR GLOSURES Filed Aug. 17, 1940 INVENTOR\ HU O R.HU? M uc/tQ HIS A Oj EY Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTAGHING MEANS FOR. OLOSURES.

Hugo R. Husta'd, New York, N. Y. Application August 17, 1940, Serial No. 353,013 4Glaim s. (01.215 20) My invention relates to means and devices for articulatively attaching a closure, or similar element, to an art icle to which it is adapted to be applied and removed at various times.

In the dispensing of liquids or other contents from bottles or other types of containers, it is desirable that the cap remain attached to the container to prevent possible loss after removal during the opening operation. It is also desirable that the so attached cap be automatically held Q in such a position that'it will not interfere with normal discharge of contents from the container. For these purposes, I have provided by this invention an attaching device, and suitable co-' ordinating means for rendering it operative, in combination with a container, or other suitable article, and a closure element therefor.

The invention is particularly useful in connection with closure caps for dispensing-types of containers and the like, and especially in connection with screw-threaded caps designed to screw over externally threaded necks which define dispensing orifices. The invention is not, however, restricted to any specific use or form, but may be utilized wherever, and inwhatsoever specific forms, its generic attributes render it advan-' tageous. I

A 'primary object of the invention, therefore, is the production of a device of the type described that will retain the closure element in its open position when it has been swung back from the article which it normally closes.

An object is the production of a device of the type described which is simple in construction and operation, which is economical to produce, and which is applicable to a wide variety of specific instances-of use. I

An outstanding feature of the invention resides in the provision of a resilient portion for the attaching element per se, and in the asso-' ciation, with the closure element, of projecting- Further features and objects of the invention will be obvious fromthe followingdetailed description and the accompanying drawing.

Inthedrawingr Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a flask or bottle closed by a cap which is attached thereto by a preferred embodiment of the invention;

3 Fig. 2 represents arear elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, with cap in retained open position, and the flask tipped in a pouring operation; the bottom portion of the fiask is broken away for convenience of illustration;

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section of the neck portion of the flask of Fig. l with cap positioned thereover preparatory to being screwed down into initial placement and into engagement with the attaching device;

a Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4, but illustrating the cap as screwed down on the neck, tightly closing the flask and cooperating with the attaching device;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to those of Figs. 4 and 5 but illustrating the cap in a position similar to that of Fig. 4, although, here, actually in engagement with the attaching device; the cap is also'indicated by dotted lines as, it appears in its completely open "but attached position, and also in an intermediateposition.

'Fig. '7 represents a view in perspective of the attaching element per se.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred form, and, in this specific instance of use, in asso ciation with a dispensing type of container having an externally threaded neck and a screwthreaded cap for application thereto. The generic characteristics of the invention, however, as set forth hereinbefore and as will appear hereinafter, may be embodied in a great many different forms 'for a variety of uses.

The flask or bottle I0 of the illustrated embodiment has a neck ll externally threaded as at Ila, see especially Fig. 3. The neck ll defines adispensing orifice 12, see Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

The neck H of the flask I0 is provided with a circumferential slideway Hb, defined at the base thereof by a circumferential head He which is spaced upwardly a suitable distance from the juncture of the neck H with the body proper of the flask. I

The purpose of the slideway l lb is to receive an independent attaching element, hereinafter described, in such a'manner that the attaching element-can rotatefreely about the neck, and the purpose of the bead I I0 is to function as a stop for limiting movement of the attaching element lengthwise of the neck II, that is, for confining movement of the attaching element to the slideway. Bearing this in mind, other arrangements and forms of the described members will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and may be utilized without departing from the generic spirit and scope of the invention.

The flask III may be of any suitable material such as glass, metal, a plastic, etc., and the neck II thereof, together with the external threads I Ia, the circumferential slideway I I and the circumferential bead I I c are preferably integral with the body proper of the flask, all-being pressed, molded, or otherwise processed to final shape in any appropriate and well known manner, as.

found desirable.

In this instance, a screw-threadedcap lll: forms the closure element for the flask III. As is customary, it is provided with internal threading I311 for mating with the external threadingjIIa of the neck of the bottle. It may be formed of any suitable material, being advantageously a molded plastic;

Pursuant to a preferred form of the invention, the cap I3 is provided witha pair of mutually spaced, projecting cam members I3b and I which serve to secure a transverse pin I4. The pin I4 serves to engage the hooked upper end I5a of resilient arm I5 of the attaching element, this element being illustrated per se and indicatedv IS in Fig. '7. v

The attaching element is preferably resilient in its entirety and formed for easy application to the container with which it is to be associated. In the case of the attaching element I5, which is designed for easy removable application to the neck II of the container III, the entire element is resilient and is formed from a metal stamping.

A collar I! is provided'for the attaching element I8, the same being adjustable to a limited extent by reason of the entrance gap I8 formed therein. The resilient linkage arm portion I5 of the attaching element preferably extends in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the collar I1 lies. It preferably goes abruptlyoutwardlyadjacent its joinderwith the collar portion II, as is indicated at I5b,for accommodating the circumferential, bead IIc of the neck II. The hooked ,upperend I5a, of the arm portion I5, has a sufficiently long lip portion I511. to insure proper entrance of the pin I4 into the cradle of the hook, and its retention r thereby, during temporary removal and replacement of the cap I3. Also, the hooked portion I5a has a crook I5a" therein which positively retains pin I4 as the cap is swung back through the intermediate position, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6, into the completely open position, also indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6, and which positively prevents pin I4 from slipping out of the cradle of the hooked portion I5a in the opened rest position of the cap. v

Generically speaking, the function of the crook I5a may be efiectively taken care of by other structural means, that is, by any arrangement of means which prevents disengagement of the pin It, or its functional equivalent, from the hooked upper end I5a of resilient arm I5, or its functional equivalent. For instance, the hooked upper end, I5a--might be made without a crook, but with a small eiternal. projection adapted to snap into a small coordinating frecess appropriately provided in the outer surface of cap I3 between projecting cam members I3b. and I3C, When the cap is swung back.

slideway III) of the bottle, in the assembling of the cap I3 and the bottle III, the resilient arm I5 is flexed outwardly, either manually or by the action of the cap itself, so that, when the cap is screwed downwardly on the neck, the attaching element in its entirety rotates about the neck, and, as the cap descends, the resilient arm I5 springs back into position, see Fig. 5, to insure engagement of pin I4 with the hooked upper portion I5a thereof during a subsequent removal of the cap for opening the bottle, see Figs. 5 and 6.

In removing the cap I3 in order to uncover the opening I2 in the neck of the bottle, the cap is swung back from the neck on pin I4, which functions as a pivot or pintle rotating within the cradle of the hooked upper end I50, of the resilient arm I5, see Fig. 6.

In order to insure the automatic retention of the closure element in its open position, the projecting cam members thereof are formed in such manner that the body proper of the closure element will be displaced outwardly from the container, carrying with it the pin or other device which forms the pivot or pintle on which the closure element swings, and flexing the resilient arm of the attaching element outwardly. They are formed also in such manner as to abut against the outside surface of the container, holding the closure element substantially inverted at the limit of its outward swing and free and clear of the opening in the container.

The projecting cam members I379 and I38. are, to the above end, formed substantially rectangularly as illustrated, extending from the bottom of the cap to substantially the top thereof. The pin I4 is spaced upwardly from the bottoms thereof a distance suflicientto permit adequate leverage in flexing the resilient arm I5 outwardly from the neck, the fulcrum, in this instance, being provided by the bottom outer corners I31) and I'ccv bearing against the outer surface of the neck II of the bottle. When the cap I3 has completed its outward swing, the outer longitudinal edges of the projecting members I31) and I30 will rest against the neck I I, as is illustrated in Fig. 3, while the pin I I fits snugly in the crook Ifia of resilient arm I5. Thus, the bottle may be properly turned into pouring position without danger of the attached cap I3 assuming such position as would interfere with the free flow of contents from the bottle during the pouring operation.

The projecting cam members I31) and I30 may, be given a variety of forms without impairing their functional effectiveness. In adopting other forms, however, it is important to keep in mind that they must be so proportioned and positioned as to serve as fulcrums for flexing the resilient arm of the attachingelement outwardly, and as rests for maintaining the resilient arm I5 in its outwardly flexed position so long as the cap'is in its open condition.

Whereas this invention has been illustrated and described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it is to be clearly understood that a great number of changes may be made without departing from the generic spirit and scope ofthe invention as described herein and in the claimsthat follow.

Iclaim: Y 1. In combination with an article having a neck memberdefining an opening, aremovable cap for closing said opening, said caphaving spaced wallsextending substantially in parallelism radially outwardly therefrom -and-;a pintle secured to one of saidwalls and-extending toward the other of said walls; and means for articulatively securing said cap to said article, comprising a collar rotatably attached to said neck memher, a resilient arm extending upwardly from said collar and biased outwardly from said neck, the free end of said arm being directed downwardly to provide an open-ended hook disposed between the spaced walls of said cap and adapted to engage the pintle to permit swinging of said cap outwardly about said pintle, the outer edges of said spaced walls providing cam surfaces engageable with the wall of said neck to flex said resilient arm and thereby hold said cap in its said outwardly swung position.

2. In combination, an article; a cover for said article; resilient linkage means; means attaching said resilient linkage means to said article; a pintle secured to said cover and arranged to engage said resilient linkage means during the removal of said cover from said article thereby articulatively attaching said cover to said article; and cam means secured to said cover adjacent said pintle, said cam means being adapted to cause said pintle to flex said resilient linkage means when said cover is swung back from said article and to thereby retain said cover in its swung-back position until forcibly removed therefrom, wherein the resilient linkage means comprises a resilient arm having a hooked terminus; wherein the cam means comprise a pair of spaced cam elements; and wherein the linkage engaging means comprises a pintle element extending between and having its ends secured in the said cam elements, the said pintle being arranged to engage the said hooked terminus of the resilient arm.

3. In combination, an article; a cover for said article; resilient linkage means; means attaching said resilient linkage means to said article; a pintle secured to said cover and arranged to engage said resilient linkage means during the removal of said cover from said article thereby articulatively attaching said cover to said article; and cam means secured to said cover ad jacent said pintle, said cam means being adapted to cause said pintle to flex said resilient linkage means when said cover is swung back from said article and to thereby retain said cover in its swung-back position until forcibly removed therefrom, wherein the resilient linkage means comprises a resilient arm having a hooked terminus; wherein the cam means comprise a pair of spaced cam elements; wherein the linkage engaging means comprises a pintle element extending between and having its ends secured in the said cam elements, the said pintle being arranged to engage the said hooked terminus of the resilient arm; and wherein there is provided means for retaining the pintle within the said hooked terminus of the resilient arm when the cover is in its swung-back position.

4. In combination, a container having an externally threaded neck defining a dispensing orifice; an internall threaded cap adapted to screw onto the neck of said container; a circum ferential slideway formed adjacent the base of the neck of said container; a collar rotatably mounted upon the said slideway; a resilient arm extending from the said collar toward the dispensing orifice of the neck of said container, said resilient arm having a hooked terminus; a pair of spaced cam elements extending from the side of said cap, externally thereof; a pintle element extending between and having its ends secured in said cam elements, said pintle element being arranged to engage the hooked terminus of said resilient arm during the removal of said cap from the neck of said container, thereby articulativeh, attaching said cap to said container, and said cam elements being adapted to cause said pintle element to flex said resilient arm when said cap is swung back from said container and to thereby retain said cap in its swung-back position until forcibly moved therefrom.

HUGO R. HUSTAD. 

